Ah, Grindr. A place where you can swipe right for love, lust, or—apparently—a one-way ticket to blackmail town. While the app is known for helping men find hookups, it’s also apparently helping a gang of criminals track down their victims and demand cash for their silence. But the real twist? It’s the police’s incredible ability to ignore the situation like they’re scrolling through memes on a slow Tuesday.
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Six Men, One Range Rover, and a Very Bad Night
The story starts like any bad hookup. Cameron Tewson was at his boyfriend Scott Gough’s house, trying to enjoy what was probably a peaceful evening (and by peaceful, we mean not expecting six men to show up at your door and demand the keys to a Range Rover). But that’s exactly what happened. The gang of miscreants—who sounded like the world’s least creative boy band (hello, white guys in their mid-20s)—left behind a note with the car’s registration number and a phone number that screamed “I’m up to no good.”
Grindr: The Silent Partner in Crime
Now, we all know Grindr has a reputation for being extremely effective at connecting people for all sorts of reasons. But apparently, it also does a great job of attracting shady criminals who target men for blackmail. When Tewson’s partner, Gough, refused to talk about the ordeal, Tewson suspected the worst: that his boyfriend had been using Grindr, possibly even meeting the gang before, but—surprise—no one was having an honest conversation about it. Then the plot took a dark turn.
The next day, Tewson found Gough’s body. He had died by asphyxiation. So, what did the police do? Honestly, not much. Despite knowing the gang’s phone number was linked to a previous blackmail attempt and finding the gang’s car registration number, they couldn’t be bothered to, you know, actually follow up. They didn’t collect evidence. They didn’t even bother to interview potential suspects. But hey, at least they didn’t accidentally text the wrong person, right?
It’s Not Homophobia, It’s Just Bad Police Work
Tewson’s heartbreak turned into frustration as he discovered that no one in the police department seemed to care. He told them about Grindr, and suddenly, it felt like his boyfriend’s sexuality was more important than, you know, investigating the crime. Sigh. After Tewson filed complaints, the IOPC (because, apparently, we needed a watchdog to remind the police to do their jobs) stepped in. And surprise, surprise, they found multiple errors. No DNA from the note? Check. No interviews with the gang? Check. An investigation so sloppy it could’ve been written off as a badly executed episode of a true crime docuseries? Double check.
More Victims, Same Old Story
Meanwhile, other victims started popping up like a game of whack-a-mole.. But guess what? The police were still more interested in anything else except doing their actual job. They even allowed the blackmail gang to parade around calling themselves “paedophile hunters”—which, last time we checked, is not a valid career path unless you’re, you know, a real cop. The IOPC has now told Hertfordshire Police to take another look at the case (because, surprise, a second look might actually help). But don’t get your hopes up. Police responses to crimes like this are more inconsistent than your bestie’s taste in boyfriends.
Liam McHale, a 24-year-old fashion student from Buckinghamshire, just 15 miles away from Gough. Nine weeks after Gough’s tragic death, McHale was found dead, leaving behind a note and a heartbreaking trail of unanswered questions. The night before his death, McHale had confided in friends that he was being blackmailed by a man he met on Grindr—who, for bonus points, was falsely claiming to be underage. It’s a tragic pattern that seems to only repeat itself, yet the police seem more invested in dodging responsibility than actually catching the perpetrators.
Grindr: Just Trying to Stay Out of the Spotlight
And let’s not forget Grindr. The app that brought us so many ‘U up?’ texts also got a call-out here. Their official spokesperson put on their PR hat and said they were “working diligently” with the police to make the app safer. But honestly, all that means is they’re trying to protect their image while maintaining as little data as possible. After all, what’s more important than your privacy when the alternative is, well, being blackmailed on a gay hookup app?
The Real Question: Will Anything Ever Change?
But if you think this is all just one isolated mess, think again. It’s part of a larger problem. Dating apps like Grindr have long been playgrounds for predators who know how to use the platform’s anonymity to their advantage. And the police? Well, they’re still trying to figure out whether or not Grindr’s existence should even be part of the investigation. Spoiler alert: it should be.
The real question here is not “How can we stop these blackmailers?” It’s, “How many times do we have to show you that LGBTQ+ victims deserve the same care and attention as any other victim?” Tewson’s heartbreak, like many others’ before him, is proof of how badly the system is failing. And no, pretending to care about LGBTQ+ issues in a press release isn’t enough. It’s time for actual action—before Grindr becomes a platform for the next wave of crimes and police lazily look the other way. Because while these criminals are getting off easy, the victims? They’re paying the price.
Source: BBC